Blaengwrach

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Blaengwrach is a village near Glynneath in south Wales. It is also the name of a community and an electoral ward of Neath Port Talbot county borough. There are, however, some differences between the boundaries of the community and the ward. The ward had a population of 1985 in the 2001 census, but 837 of these were actually residents of the neighbouring community of Glynneath and so the population of the Blaengwrach community itself would have been 1148.

Blaengwrach is a predominantly upland area, and contains the highest points of three local hills/mountains, namely Mynydd Resolfen (383mt/1257ft) and the rather more impressive Mynydd Pen-y-Cae (573mt/1880ft) and Craig-y-Llyn (600mt/1970ft), both of which offer spectacular views of the valley below and the Brecon Beacons in the distance. Craig-y-Llyn is the highest point in the old county of Glamorgan, and is home to a nature reserve containing Llyn Fach and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Hours of fun can be had trying to distinguish between Blaengwrach on the one hand, and Cwmgwrach on the other. Traditionally, the two are settlements separated by a brook running through the middle of them. However, the sign welcoming you to Cwmgwrach is actually in Blaengwrach, and in similar fashion, Blaengwrach school is actually in Cwmgwrach, although this could be explained by its being named after the wider ward. In reality the residents call the entire village Cwmgwrach, with Blaengwrach being best used as the name for the wider area in which the village is situated.

The village itself contains various local shops, pubs and a rugby club, Cwmgwrach RFC. For wider services, such as Doctors, Dentists, Leisure Centres, takeaways and small supermarkets, the village is largely dependent upon Glynneath.

A history of the village (Cwmgwrach: Valley of the Witch) has been written by Mr. Ian Currie.

[edit] Government and politics

Blaengwrach

Ordnance Survey
OS grid reference:	Maps for SN868052
Geography
Total population	1,987 (2001 census)
Administration
Local council:	Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
Number of councillors:	1
Nation:	Wales
Post office and telephone
PostCode(s):	SA11
Dialling code:	+44-1639
Politics
Welsh Assembly:	Neath
UK Parliament:	Neath
European Parliament:	Wales

The electoral ward of Blaengwrach includes part or all of the villages of Blaengwrach and Cwmgrach in the parliamentary constituency of Neath.

The Blaengwrach ward is bounded by the wards of Glynneath to the north; Rhigos of Rhondda Cynon Taff to the east; Glyncorrwg to the south; and Resolven to the southwest. The ward consists of a built up settlement to the northwest. The central area is dominated by an open cast coal mine, whilst the rest of the ward is ringed by woodland.

In the 2008 local council elections, the electorate turnout was 51.42%. The results were:

Candidate	Party	Votes	Status
Alf Siddley	Labour	432	Labour gain
Carolyn Edwards	Plaid	380

v • d • e Neath Port Talbot electoral wards Aberavon • Aberdulais • Allt-Wen • Baglan • Blaengwrach • Briton Ferry East • Briton Ferry West • Bryn and Cwmavon • Bryncoch North • Bryncoch South • Cadoxton • Cimla • Coedffranc Central • Coedffranc North • Coedffranc West • Crynant • Cwmllynfell • Cymmer • Dyffryn • Glyncorrwg • Glynneath • Godre'r Graig • Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen • Gwynfi • Lower Brynamman • Margam • Neath East • Neath North • Neath South • Onllwyn • Pelenna • Pontardawe • Port Talbot • Resolven • Rhos • Sandfields East • Sandfields West • Seven Sisters • Tai-Bach • Tonna • Trebanos • Ystalyfera

v • d • e Communities of Neath Port Talbot Aberavon • Baglan • Baglan Bay • Blaengwrach • Blaenhonddan • Briton Ferry • Bryn • Cilybebyll • Clyne and Melincourt • Coedffranc • Crynant • Cwmafan • Cwmllynfell • Dyffryn Clydach • Glyncorrwg • Glynneath • Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen • Margam • Margam Moors • Neath • Onllwyn • Pelenna • Pontardawe • Port Talbot • Resolven • Rhyd-y-fro • Sandfields East • Sandfields West • Seven Sisters • Taibach • Tonna • Ystalyfera